Light Wave
by RhiStar
Summary: <html><head></head>Basically the show Castle with Lux. It takes place around the sixth season, I'm not quite sure on some of the details. This is a test run. Hope you enjoy it and don't forget to write a review to help me find a path.</html>
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Flowers for Your Past**

The elevator of the 12th precinct opens to welcome a 15 year old girl with long blonde hair. She crosses the precinct and sits down in the seat next to Detective Ryan's desk. Ryan is turned away from her and talking to Esposito, who is sitting on the edge of Ryan's desk. When Esposito sees the girl, he nudges Ryan with his knee. "Looks like you have a friend." Ryan turns to face the girl as Esposito returns to his own desk.

"How can I help you?" Ryan greets nicely.

The girl quickly smiles at him then returns to her natural but serious expression and says in a questioning tone, "I'm looking for a Katherine… Beckett."

Ryan frowns a little, "She is downstairs right now. Can _we_ help you?"

"Well… I really need to talk to her."

"Okay… let me show you to her desk," Ryan guides the young girl just a desk away, Kate's desk, which the girl sits down in the chair next to. "She won't be gone long. You can wait here until she gets back." Ryan says then turns and begins to walk back to his desk, and then about halfway there, quickly turns around to face the teenager, and says, "Sorry, I didn't catch your name."

She looks at him and gives him another short lived smile. "Lux… Beckett," she says letting her jaw drop at the end. Ryan smiles and starts walking back to his desk, while she refocuses on an elephant, on Kate's desk, that she had started inspecting.

When Ryan sits back down in his desk, he leans into Espo's desk. Esposito looks away from his computer to Ryan and asks, "Who was that?"

Ryan's voice is a whisper as he leans closer and says, "She says her name is Lux Beckett."

Esposito's eyebrows tighten, "Beckett? Like _our_ Beckett?"

Ryan frowns questioningly, "Sounds like it, maybe a younger sister?"

Esposito frowns in a disappointed manner, "Come on, bro you know Beckett is an only child."

Ryan makes a somewhat hidden gesture of pointing with his thumb, as he says, "Then you explain Little Beckett."

"What are you guys talking about?" They both look up from their huddle to see Castle standing in between their desks, smiling.

Esposito nods to the girl with his head and says, "The kid."

"At Beckett's desk," Ryan finishes.

Castle frowns when he sees the girl, "She's in my spot."

Esposito continues, "Says her name's Beckett."

Castle seems entertained by this as he questions, "Like our Beckett?"

Ryan's eyes grow wide with assurance, "Seems like it."

Castle walks over to Lux, leaving the boys to wonder alone. When he sits down in Kate's chair, the teenager looks at him confused. He calmly responds to the expression by saying, "You're in my spot."

Lux gives a closed mouth smile, which made Castle think two things: She's being coy, like she felt a humorous guilt for smiling and he had seen the smile before. Her smile grew to be crooked as she begins to talk, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize someone, besides criminals, sat here."

Castle smiles, "Well I do kill people for a living." Lux wrinkles her forehead in amusement shown by her unwavering smile. Castle outstretches his hand, "Richard Cas-"

"Castle," Lux finishes. "I knew I knew you from somewhere. My friend Tasha and I would read your books to get away from stuff."

Castle frowns and says, "What kind of stu-?"

"Castle, get out of my chair!" They both look away from each other towards the elevator, where Detective Kate Beckett is walking towards them with two coffees in hand. Castle stands up out of her chair and leans onto the desk behind Kate's. Even so, when Kate reaches her desk she doesn't sit but instead stands across from Lux. She hands Castle his coffee. Castle takes a sip, then quickly swallows, because Kate doesn't seem to know the girl and the girl seems to have gone into some sort of shock, so Castle waves his finger between Lux and Kate (while wondering if he burnt his tongue or not) "Kate meet…"

"Lux," Lux politely fills in, although it does seem to choke out like she is still trying to regain the air in her lungs.

Castle points at Kate, "Lux meet Detective Beckett."

Kate turns to Castle unsure what to think, "A friend of yours, Castle?" Kate gives a smile, although wondering if she left her "pet" alone too long and now he has resorted to making friends with teenage strangers.

At first, Castle gets lost in her smile realizing that it is the smile he recognized on Lux, then Castle smiles, "Actually, I think she's a friend of yours."

Kate's eyes widen with an amused smile, "Really?"

"Really," Lux interjects reflecting the same face, and pulling Kate's attention back to her, but this time something about Lux catches Kate off guard and Castle can see it, when her smile deflates.

Castle picks up his coffee and turns to the both of them and says, "I'll give you guys some space."

Kate gives a slight smile as she watches him walk over to Ryan and Esposito's desks, because although in the literal sense they were giving them space, she had no doubt they would continue analyzing the situation from afar.

When Kate turns back to Lux, she realizes Lux is playing with one of the elephants. She smiles, "I see you have taken an interest in my elephants."

Lux smiles at her, then puts the elephant back in its place on the desk, "They're cute. They're like a little family."

Kate smiles even wider at the elephant, "That's what my mom used to say." She looks back at Lux, "I'm sure you didn't come here for the elephants."

Lux straightens her posture and puts the elephant down, pulls out a paper, unfolds it and hands it to Kate. She looks at her for a short second then back at the paper, "I need you to sign this."

Kate takes the paper and looks quizzically at the girl than at the paper and her face relaxes with shock.

Castle, Ryan, and Esposito all watch as Kate talks, muted by the distance, and her face goes through a range of emotions, and as Lux lets out more short lived smiles and regularly glances down at her hands.

Ryan looks amused and questions, "So, Castle, what do you think?"

"Long lost cousins?" Esposito fills in for Castle's lack of response.

Ryan curiously cocks his head to the side, "She looks a lot like Beckett."

"Acts like her too," Castle says remembering Lux's smile. He finally snaps his attention to the guys and adds, "She is in fact a Beckett. The question is: How?"

Kate hands the signed paper back to Lux, "So where do you go from here?"

Lux smiles a fake smile, "That's the other thing… I kind of need a ride to Social Services."

Kate points her finger, "One second, okay?"

Lux smiles another closed mouth smile, but this one shows an impatient kind of feeling, "Yeah."

Kate walks over to where the boys are, "Castle, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Is it about the mystery girl?" Castle grins.

"Castle!" Kate scolds already walking towards the break room, causing him to scramble to his feet.

When Castle finally gets in the break room, Kate shuts the door and he immediately starts, well Castling, "Okay, let me guess, she's your long lost cousin?"

"No, C-" Kate says annoyed.

"She's a witness to a murder _and_ your long lost cousin?"

"Castle-"

Castle laughs, "No, you're going to love this one, she's your long lost daughter."

Kate's voice turns into a harsh pleading, "Castle… please."

Castle's smile melts into a serious expression and his eyes widen. He looks into Kate's beseeching eyes and slowly says, "She's your daughter."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Baby McFound**

"It was after my mom died. I just got my dad out of his darkness and I felt pent up. Like I didn't get my rebellious phase, so I took it and ran with it." Kate sighs, "I only had one boyfriend during the time and the phase _and _the relationship both ended two weeks later and I got myself back on track."

"And then there was Lux," Castle fills in.

"And I couldn't do it, Castle. I was _finally_ getting my life in order and up until today I was sure it was better that way."

Kate looks out the window at Lux, who has now moved back to Ryan's desk and is watching YouTube videos with the guys, and lets out a huff with a clenched jaw. Castle follows her gaze to Lux then turns back to Kate, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Castle, I didn't tell anybody. My dad was the only person who knew."

"You could have told me. I thought you were finally willing to tell me anything."

Her face is serious when she looks into his eyes, "Castle this wasn't behind my wall. This was locked up in a bullet resistant storm shelter."

They sit in silence for a short moment before Castle asks, "Okay, what now?"

Kate takes a deep breath, "She has a court date tonight to be emancipated."

Castle frowns, "Emancipated?"

Castle shocks at the idea of the witty teenager still being in foster care, "She never got adopted?"

"No," Kate says in a sad, matter of fact type of tone.

"So tonight she goes back to her foster home and gets emancipated and we never see her again?" Castle says unsatisfied with the lack of conclusion.

"Well that's the other thing," Kate bites her bottom lip, "She needs a ride and I was hoping that you could use your Castle theorizing crap to tell Ryan and Espo- cover for me."

Castle tries to pull a playful grin, "You like my theorizing crap."

Kate grins back with her hardships hiding behind, "You're going to distract them better than that right?"

Castle pulls her into his arms and kisses her forehead then he moves his own forehead down to press it against hers and look down at her with a smile, "Of course."

…

Kate sits down in the car and watches as Lux does the same in the passenger seat. The silence is slowly killing her. She starts driving, ever so often stealing looks at Lux. She has her jaw clenched tightly until she looks over and catches Lux staring back, jaw clenched just as hard.

"You're amazing," Kate says nervously.

Lux smiles and wrinkles her forehead, "You don't really know me but…thanks?"

"No, I just-" Kate laughs nervously, "I don't understand why you weren't adopted," She lets out her smile slowly fading.

Lux's smile glitches and she bites her bottom lip, "Well I don't know if you knew this, but I was born with this heart thing," Kate looks at her eyes wide, "A hole. I had to have a bunch of surgeries. Baby on the operating table isn't exactly a selling point to perspective parents. I was fine but after everything I was almost three, most people want a baby. I mean not everyone obviously."

They ride the rest of the way in silence, until Kate pulls over in front of the Social Services office. "Do you need a ride from here?"

Lux gives an apologetic smile, "No, I'll take the bus."

"I don't feel okay dropping you off here, not knowing if you're going to be okay." Lux's smile starts to disappear, but Kate can't help but push a little further, "I mean do you know where you're going to go to school or where you're going to live?"

Lux quickly takes the defense by this and Kate can see it even before she says anything, "No offense but I haven't had a mom in fifteen years, I don't need one now," Lux climbs out of the car and as soon as the door shuts Kate grimaces.

…

When Kate finally returns to the precinct, she isn't quite ready to talk to Castle, although all she wants is a hug, she isn't quite at the falling apart stage. So when she gets to the elevator she chooses going down to the morgue.

When she gets there Lanie smiles at her visitor, "Hey Kate, what are you doing down here?"

Kate's bottom lip parts, showing her bottom teeth. Lanie pulls off her gloves and brings her into a hug, "Oh sweetie, what's wrong?"

Kate pulls away, "A lot." Lanie frowns quizzically. "Okay not multiple things just on big thing."

"You've been practically prancing around here for-"

Kate raises her eyebrows, "Prancing?"

"Deflecting is not doing you justice. C'mon Kate, what's wrong?"

"I have a daughter," Kate says relieving herself of some of the weight on her shoulders she didn't have this morning.

"A daughter, since when?"

"Since 15 years ago." She can tell by Lanie's face that she is in shock. "I know, why didn't I tell you."

"Well no, I can figure reasons for that, but why are you telling me now?"

"Because today I dropped her off at social services and I'm sure I'm never going to see her again."

Although Lanie gets lost in the cluster of things she doesn't understand. She can see the sadness on Kate's face, so she pulls her into another hug. Kate buries her chin into Lanie's shoulder, "I don't know how to help her."

"Oh sweetheart," She holds her there for a moment in silence. After a while, Lanie smiles and whispers, "Does Castle know?"

Kate lets out a short laugh while she pulls out of the embrace. As she wipes her eyes quickly and smiles, "He guessed."

"Of course he did," Lanie laughs. "Speaking of he's probably looking for you."

"Yeah, I should find him. He's-" Kate softly comments, only to be cut off by her phone ringing. She pulls it out of her back pocket and raises her eyebrows when she sees the name flashing, "He's calling me."

"You go, I'm gonna get back to work," Lanie says smiling.

Kate returns the smile as she answers her phone and turns to walk towards the elevator. "Hey Castle…Yeah I'll be there in a sec."

…

When Castle sees Beckett exit the elevator, he can tell she has cried recently, but when she joins the boys and asks if they had anymore leads, he decides not to push.

Ryan says in a long sigh, "Hendrix called a number belonging to a Lisle Warren several times in the last month, but nothing else."

"Well maybe we call it quits for today and start there in the morning."

Esposito looks at her with surprise, "Are you sure?"

Ryan, who looks just as confused as Esposito, questions further, "Yeah, Beckett it's pretty early?"

"C'mon Ryan you can't tell me you would rather be here chasing down dead ends than go home and play with Sarah Grace," Kate says very matter of fact. Ryan and Espo shrug and start gathering their things. "C'mon Castle, let's go."

"Yeah, of course," Castle say softly, as he joins her, at her side. As the two of them walk towards the elevator, he slips his hand into hers, hoping she'll find some comfort in the gesture.

Though she tightens her grip on Castle's hand, she looks at him and smiles, "I'm fine, Castle," when she catches him staring at her in the elevator.

"I'm not sure I believe you," he replies softly.

Silence ensues between them until they reach the car and he makes a mental note that she must feel out of her element to be letting him drive then he can no longer hold in his question, "How did it go with Lux?"

Kate looks down at her hands, then out the window, "Okay, I just… I don't know Castle… I can't fix this."

"You can be at her emancipation," Castle says trying to read her face and keep his eyes on the road at the same time. When he is finally able to catch a glimpse of her face, her eyes are wide, pleading for him to do it for her or at least tell her what to do, so she can go head strong (as usual) in the right direction. Castle is not positive what is the right choice but he decides upon what he would do, "Where is the courthouse?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Judge Found Home**

Kate stands at the bottom of the courthouse stairs, watching Castle start his way up. She wonders if she should really be doing this. Should she really have let the man that on a regular basis complains that Alexis won't play laser tag with him enough, make her life decisions? He turns around halfway up the stairs when he realizes Kate is not following him. "Come on, Kate," he says steady and hushed.

"Yeah, of course," She shakes her head and steadies herself, before quickly making her way up the stairs.

When she and Castle enter the courtroom she gets the overwhelming feeling to run and hide as far away from here as possible, but she walks forward and sits down with a serious demeanor. Lux is standing at the front facing the judge. On the other side is Lux's case worker, who says that she has only been Lux's case worker for a few months and that she tends to change hands often. Kate sits very still as she digs her right thumb nail into her left hand's palm.

"I see, with seven different foster homes," the judge says critically.

"Oh that's not really my fault," Lux smiles for assurance and innocence.

"And whose is it? Surely you're not saying it's the seven different families who tried to take you in," the judge says dismissing Lux completely. Castle can see, in his peripheral, Kate's jaw tighten to the judge's response.

"No," Lux stammers, "I mean I wanted a good home, the state of New York just hasn't provided me with one."

"So you have no permanent place of residence as of today."

"Well as soon as my petition is granted there is a studio not far from my school."

The judge puts down the paper and glares at Lux, "You're going to afford an apartment, on what income?"

"I have three thousand dollars in the bank."

"Well who is going to cosign your rental agreement?"

Lux lets out a short smile followed by a somewhat condescending tone, "The whole point of being emancipated is that I won't need it cosigned."

"No landlord is going to rent to a minor-"

Castle stands up, "Your honor, I'll cosign."

Kate stands and slaps Castle's arm, "Castle," she scolds glaring at him.

He turns to the judge only to see Lux also glaring at him. "Ok, wow, your guys' glares-"

"I'm sorry who are you?" the judge interrupts.

Lux turns back to the judge, "He's… um … my birth mothers friend.

"Fiancé," Castle corrects. Kate glares at him to silently reprimanding him.

The judge asks the case worker to give her the case file, which the case worker does promptly. "Ma'am," the judge says to interfere with Kate's glower, "You're a New York detective, correct?"

Kate squints a little, "Yes, your honor."

"No criminal record, and in possession of a working vehicle, and I know who you are Mr. Castle."

"Thank you, your honor."

"That is not praise, Mr. Castle," the judge says sternly. Kate lets out a quiet laugh, when Castle's face deflates.

Lux shakes her head in disbelief, "I'm sorry, what is going on?"

The judge gets serious and in response so does Lux, "Okay, I'm going to be very straight with you. I am NOT granting you emancipation." Lux goes into shock as she tries to gather a protest, but nothing comes out. "You have no income, you have no permanent residence, you filed a fee waiver to cover your court costs," the judge takes a breath, "Now, Katherine Beckett is still legally your mother."

Lux looks back and forth between the judge and Kate and begins grasping at straws, "Uh actually she's not. I had that paper signed, just like my case worker did for my biological father."

"But unlike your case worker you did not go through the proper channels, this signature was neither witnessed nor notarized," the judge protests. Lux shakes her head in disbelief, the reality of the situation boiling up inside. "So, unless anyone here has an objection I'm releasing you back into her temporary custody." The three of them all stand there with their mouths slightly open. The judge looks them all over quickly with assurance, "This case is dismissed."

…

Lux leads the way, quickly moving down the stairs, "Well that was the opposite of being emancipated." Halfway down she turns irritably at them, "What was that?"

"Lux," Kate says carefully.

"I had a plan you know," Lux says turning to continue back down the stairs, "A place to live, people who depended on this, hell I depended on this," Lux's speech quickly dies as she reaches the bottom of the stairs.

"Look Lux, I'm sorry," Kate starts.

Lux raises her eyebrows and laughs, "It's not your fault," she cuts a quick fierce look at Castle, who answers with a confused frown.

Kate looks at Castle then tries to deflect Lux, "Do we need to go get your stuff?" Kate says as she opens the back passenger door for her.

"Yeah," Lux says pursing her lips and taking her seat in the car as she crosses her arms across her chest. When Kate closes the door and turns to Castle, who was standing right behind her, she glares at him. The look and the way her jaw is so tight makes him think of the first couple of months he shadowed her, which means he is probably in trouble.

"I'll just…" Castle stammers pointing at the car.

As Castle starts walking around the front of the car, Kate's stare doesn't break, "Castle the keys."

"Right," Castle says as he swivels on his heels and heads back towards the passenger side. As soon as Castle hands her the keys, she goes around the back of the car and sits driver's seat.

…

It seems pretty impossible that this is the place, but Lux seemed pretty sure giving directions. "This it?" Kate asks turning in her seat to see Lux.

"Yup," Lux says pushing herself out of the car, "Pretty huh?" Lux smiles as she slams the door making Kate close her eyes and Castle wince. Castle grimaces out the window. The dark gray house is boarded in a manner that makes it look like a haunted house.

He looks back at Kate, whose bottom lip is lightly bitten between her teeth as she peers out his window. "Kate," he warns.

"This is not good Castle; all of this is not good."

"I'm sorry," Castle says it earnestly, but Kate smiles. Castle raises his eyebrows at her, "You think it's funny she hates me?"

"She'll warm up to you, I did." Lux is suddenly banging the palm of her hand on the trunk of the car. They both turn to see her out the back window. When she makes eye contact with them, she points at the trunk as if to say 'why haven't you opened the freaking trunk yet?' Kate turns and pops the trunk. "She'll warm up," Kate says more in a pleading tone this time.

"Yeah," Castle breathes out.

Lux plops herself back down in the car, "Okay so where to now?"

"The loft," Kate says as she pulls back into the street.

"My loft," Castle corrects.

"No need to be possessive, Castle," Kate smirks.

"You're the one that still has a separate apartment," Castle protests.

Kate laughs, "Yeah, that houses out of season clothes and take out Chinese from two months ago because that is the last time I was there."

"Plus after your volunteering in court today I believe it is _our_ loft," Lux interjects. Castle drops his jaw in fake shock, but when he sees Kate full heartedly giggling and looks back to see Lux smiling, he cannot help but reflect their happiness with a laugh.

…

"Alexis! Mother!" Castle walks in the door with two of Lux's suitcases. Kate and Lux had stayed behind to park the car and would soon be coming through the door. Alexis hops down the stairs and slides in her socks on the hardwood floor.

"Whoa, dad what's with the bags? Did Beckett finally give up her apartment?"

Castle tilts his head to the side, "Were you in the car with us?"

"No?" Alexis giggles.

"Nothing," he shakes off. Castle smiles thinking about how she is always such a ray of sunshine and how he really has enjoyed her return, but then he thinks about adding a not so sunny teen to the mix and gets a little worried. "Where's gram?"

"She said she was going out, would be back by midnight. You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"What's with the bags?" Alexis trails off as she tries to peer around Castle at the doorway, where Kate and Lux are now standing along with the rest of Lux's stuff at their feet.

"There mine," Lux says warmly, "Speaking of, where do they go?"

"Upstairs first door to the right," Castle says, promptly picking up the two bags at his feet and carrying them up. Lux picks up the suitcase, pillow, and teddy bear at her feet and follows him.

Alexis points at the ceiling once the two of them are upstairs and quizzically looks at Kate, "Who's-"

Kate smiles and gestures with her head, to the couch, "Sit?"

Alexis shrugs, "Sure."

Kate pushes off her heels with her toes and sits gently on the couch, twists sideways to face Alexis and slowly pulls her knees to her chest. Alexis plops on the couch, bouncing a little on the cushion, crossing her legs pretzel style. Her long pink pajama pants make her look younger than she has in a long time.

Castle comes slowly down the stairs. He sees a shift in Kate's expression when she sees him and he gently responds, "She's getting ready for bed," as he slides next to Alexis placing his arm around her.

Alexis pulls a smile, "Let me guess, she's a product of one of dad's conquests?"

"No," Castle laughs.

Kate squints at her, "You really are your father's daughter," then turns to Castle, "A mini you."

"Says the women whose daughter is a blonde haired, blue eyed copy of her," Castle teases.

Alexis' eyes automatically widen as she turns to Castle then Kate, "Whose what?"

Kate's eyes scold him, "Thanks Castle."

"No problem," he says with a smile.

"She's your daughter?" Alexis asks slowly as if trying to digest the concept.

Kate bites her lip with a smile, "Yeah."

Lux walks halfway down the stairs and stops. Kate looks at her; she looks a lot less harmless in her pajama shorts. Kate smiles, "Do you need something?"

"Do you guys have an extra toothbrush?"

Kate looks at Castle because she honestly has no idea; he turns and looks at Lux, "Yeah I'll show you."

Kate and Alexis watch them as they go upstairs. Kate's elbow is placed on the back of the couch. Her hand is placed on her chin like she is thinking really hard as she is bites one of her finger nails. Alexis tilts her head a little as she studies her, "Beckett, you okay?"

Kate takes her hand out of her mouth and uses it to push her hair behind her ear. She smiles a quick smile, "Yeah," she thinks for a second then looks Alexis in the eyes, "Look Alexis I don't want you to feel like you're being pushed out. I can always take Lux to my apartment."

Alexis smiles; she does enjoy that Kate cares to ask what her opinion is and if she is okay. Her own mother never really seemed to care and Gina didn't really acknowledge her existents, so this is nice, but in this case it is completely unnecessary. "Oh no, she's fine, I'm not sure you are though."

Kate puts on a solemn smile, "Thanks but I'm fine."

Castle and Lux race down the stairs. Kate and Alexis watch them confused. "Is there a fire?" Alexis asks. Castle goes to the kitchen while Lux stops at the island and watches Castle go to the freezer.

Lux turns to them, more specifically Alexis, with a comically skeptical look on her face, "Castle thinks he can make the best sundae ever."

Kate and Alexis start to head to the kitchen to join them. Lux continues to look at them to see if they will validate Castle. Alexis takes this time to observe Lux's stance, one of her hands is on her hip and the other is on the island. Alexis smiles and turns to Kate and says, "Definitely a mini you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: I'm sorry this chapter took me so long. I've been swamped this last month. Hope you guys enjoy.**

**Chapter 4: Hell Hath No Fury**

Now that the movie is over, Castle gets up, shifting Kate, who has fallen asleep on his shoulder, so that the couch cushion is supporting her head. Alexis heads to the island, in the kitchen, and Castle follows her slowly, "You going to bed?"

"I have a little more studying to do," she sighs.

Castle smiles sleepily, "Don't stay up to late." He leans down and kisses the top of her head, then walks to the couch and slowly picks up Kate and carries her to the bedroom.

"Night dad," Alexis sees refocusing on her book.

"Night sweetheart," Castle says quietly over his shoulder.

Lux, who was just observing Alexis and Castle, pushes herself off the couch. She moves lightly on her feet as she walks over to Alexis and leans her stomach against the counter. After a moment of silence she sighs, "Kate knocked out pretty fast."

Alexis pulls her eyes away from her book and looks at Lux, "Kate is good at a lot of things, staying awake during a movie is not one of them."

Lux purses her lips, "What about being a parent?"

Alexis' face scrunches, "Time will tell, I guess. She's good to me, great, actually."

"She seems okay, but they all do until the honeymoon phase ends," Lux skeptically sighs.

Alexis smiles, making Lux pull a confused face. She explains, "That's another thing Kate isn't good at, honeymoon phases, I don't even think that is part of her vocabulary."

Lux squints out of confusion. Alexis' smile fades, "She's not going to let you go, because you become too boring or too much work, sorry to break it to you but she has you now, she will never let you go." Lux's eyes widen with amusement.

The front door suddenly creaks at the noise of a key turning in the door. Alexis and Lux both turn to the noise, only to see Martha walk in. "Hi Gram," Alexis chimes.

Lux laughs as she says, "How many people live here?"

"She's the last one," Alexis says with a laugh.

"And who is this?" Martha asks Alexis, waiting for an introduction.

Alexis turns to Lux, "You or me?"

Lux gestures for her to go ahead, "Go ahead. Rip off the band aid."

Alexis turns back to her grandmother, "This is Lux. She's Beckett's daughter."

"Katherine has a daughter?" Martha says with some amusement in the way Alexis would expect her to react if she said Beckett's favorite color is yellow, it's surprising but not earth shattering. "It is lovely to meet you," Martha says as she walks over and hugs Lux. When she pulls away she looks at them for a beat then continues, "Shouldn't you girls be in bed?"

Alexis raises her eyebrows, "Shouldn't you? Besides I'm studying."

"Well, I just had a lovely evening with an old friend and will be going to bed shortly. Lux, darling what is your excuse?"

"New living arrangements," Lux says confident in her answer.

"Very well then, I will see you girls in the morning," Martha says as she walks up the stairs.

"Good night," Lux says.

"Goodnight gram," Alexis follows.

For a short moment there is only silence, and then Lux purses her lips and says, "So Kate has no honeymoon phase?"

Alexis doesn't even look up from her book this time, "Not even in her vocabulary."

…

Kate blinks away the sleep and squints at the sound of her phone ringing. She quickly turns herself on her side and grabs her phone off of the night stand. "Beckett," she answers rubbing her face. "Yeah, I'll be right there." She hangs up the phone and rushes herself out of the bed. She pulls off her shirt and tosses it at Castle's head. "Get up, Castle."

He mumbles and turns his head towards her, as she pulls on a white button up blouse, "Did I sleep in?"

"We both slept in," she says as she places her engagement ring back on her finger.

"But I'm so tired," he groans.

Kate latches her father's watch on her wrist than pauses and glares at him, "You know we brought home a teenager not a baby right?"

"Mhmm," Castle mumbles drifting back to sleep.

Kate pulls on her work pants and scolds, "Castle!"

Castle slowly sits up, "Right… right, I'm up."

She leaves the bedroom and goes to the kitchen to start scavenging for a quick breakfast. She is surprised when she sees Alexis sitting in one of the stools at the island. "Did you sleep?" Kate questions.

"Yeah, I just got up early, by the way Lux said she was taking the train to school and back."

'Thanks, I didn't even think of getting her to school, speaking of when do you go to school today?"

"I don't have class for another two hours."

"Good luck," Kate smiles and then yells, "Come on, Castle, let's go!"

He comes rushing out into the living space and goes over to Alexis and kisses the top of her head, "You sleep well?"

"Well yes, long no"

"You'll do great on the test I'm sure of it."

"Thanks dad," Alexis smiles.

Kate smiles, "You ready?"

"Yup," he says sucking on his bottom lip. He walks out the door, followed by Kate shutting it.

…

It has been an unproductive day. Everything has lead to dead ends, causing Castle and her to become antsy. "I just need a lead," Kate groans. She is leaning up against her desk as Castle stands a couple feet away, both of them staring at the murder board.

Her crossed arms unravel as she lifts her right hand and touches her collar. Her fingertips are only greeted by the fabric of her blouse. She pats her chest pulling her fingers together trying to grasp anything other than fabric. Worry quickly washes over her and Castle fells her mood change immediately. She rubs her hand around the back of her neck and looks at him frantically.

Castle's forehead wrinkles, "What's wrong?"

She breaks eye contact and turns around and hysterically pushes things around on her desk. "My mom's ring, it's- it's not here."

He looks at the floor and starts retracing their small amount of steps. She goes to the other side of her desk and opening each drawer only to close them when the necklace doesn't up, after quickly riffling through them. Castle shuffles back from the elevator then walks a circle around her desk, his eyes glued to the floor.

"Are you sure you put it on this morning?" Castle is discouraged by his own solution, he knows damn well that she puts on that necklace every day, today would be no different.

"She puts her hands in her jacket's pockets, then looks at Castle with heart racing stress showing on her face. "Yes… no, it's an autopilot thing. I never really remember doing it I just do, but…" She exhales trying to calm herself down, as she sits down in her chair, tense and upset.

Castle sits in his chair, "Still, it may be at home." Kate puts her elbows on her desk and runs her fingers through her hair. He sighs because he can see the pain of the loss building up inside of her. He grabs the side of her chair so she is across from him. "We'll find it Kate, I promise."

"Don't promise… you don't know…"

"I promise. We'll find it."

…

While actively skipping school, Lux sits on the couch, in the loft, waiting for her friends to get there. The knock on the door makes her jump to her feet. She practically skips to the door and when she opens it she is greeted by her friend's faces. "Hey, I'm so glad you found where this place is."

The three of them quickly invite themselves in. Natasha smiles, "So this is where you live now," then turns and frowns at Lux, "I thought we had a deal."

"It was completely out of my hands."

Bug wraps his arms around her and kisses her, "Don't worry about it. We'll get you out of here soon."

Lux pulls away, "I don't know-"

Natasha saunters down the stairs, which Lux didn't realize she had gone up, and says, "Nice place for a writer. Hey do you think this will fit me." Natasha says holding up a light tan dress.

Lux completely pulls herself out of Bug's embrace, "Tasha put that back that's Alexis' and it probably costs more than all of us combined." Natasha trudges back up the stairs. Lux quickly spins around and slightly stammers, "Where's Gavin?"

Gavin strolls out of Castle and Beckett's room, "You think it costs more than this?" Gavin asks with a smirk, as a necklace with a ring at the end dangles on his pointer finger.

Lux marches over, "Are you insane that's Kate and Castle's room?" She takes the necklace off Gavin's finger.

Gavin continues to smile, "Hey, you said I needed a 401K." He points at the ring, "That's my plan right there."

Bug scolds, "Gavin!" When Gavin turns to Bug he demands, "We're out."

When Gavin and Bug leave, Lux puts the necklace on the island and Natasha returns from upstairs. Natasha leans on the island giving herself some distance from Lux, who is supporting herself against the kitchen counter.

"You should just think of this as saving her the trouble of kicking you out."

Lux laughs, "I don't think Kate would kick me out."

"Come on Lux, you've been in and out of enough foster homes to know how these people are."

Lux finds herself beginning to get defensive, "You don't know these people."

"Neither do you. One mistake and you're gone."

"They're my family."

Natasha cocks her head to the side, "Really? Because I thought _we_ were your family."

"Maybe I don't want to just pack up and leave. At least I'm not sharing a room with six other kids or worse locked in one. For the first time in my life I feel like somebody wants me."

"You've only been here one night."

"Doesn't that show how amazing it is here?"

"Fine," Natasha says pushing off the counter. She walks over to the front door and swings it open, "Then stay. Oh and happy birthday," Then Natasha slams the door making Lux wince and feel uncertain about her choice.

…

Kate marches straight through the front door and to the stairs. She yells up them, "Lux!"

Castle slowly shuts the door and looks over to see Alexis, who is watching TV on the couch. He immediately registers that she is puzzled by Kate's demeanor. He goes and sits on the back of the couch next to where she is. "What's wrong?" Alexis' concern fills her hushed voice and shows on her face.

Castle turns to Alexis, "Well-"

"Lux!" Kate yells again, but this time Lux appears at the top of the stairs.

"What?!"

"You skipped school."

"Only study hall and a part of sex ed," Lux says as she walks down the stairs. "Who needs to know how condoms work, anyway?"

Kate turns from Lux, who is now in the kitchen, to Castle, her eyebrows raised and her mouth slightly opened. Castle opens his mouth to say something than just closes it, out of shock.

"I'm gonna go," Alexis says, as she turns off the TV and quickly moves to and up the stairs.

Kate turns back to Lux, "Lux, you-"

"Beckett," Castle mutters trying to deflect. He has seen fights not worth fighting, ones that end with someone pulling away. Alexis and him have had a few, Beckett and him more, but he sees Lux do it every time Beckett confronts her.

"What, Castle?!"

"The necklace," He says calmly. Kate deflates slightly and walks to the bedroom. Lux rolls her eyes.

Kate returns quickly now obviously focused on something else, "It isn't there." Castle closes his eyes. He was really hoping his distraction would produce something.

Lux starts quietly pushing things around the island. Her eyes grow wide with internal panic, when it doesn't turn up. It was right there, _she_ put it right there.

Castle starts looking under the couch cushions and Kate gets on her hands and knees and starts look underneath the couch. Kate huffs when she doesn't see it, "This day is going to kill me."

Lux glares at them even though they don't look at her, "Well on that note, I'm going to my room." She marches up the stairs, but when she gets to the top she goes further down the hall, turns left, and then knocks on the door to the right.

"Come in," Alexis softly greets. Lux walks in and just stands in the doorway looking at Alexis, who is sitting cross legged at the head of her bed, "You can sit."

Lux closes the door and sits on the edge of the bed. She points at the door, "Are they always like that?"

Alexis closes her laptop, "Like what?"

"Annoying?"

"With the ooey gooey, teasing thing they do, sometimes, yeah, oh and sometimes they do this thing where they say the same thing at the same time, like they share one mind."

Lux smiles, "Yeah that's not what I meant." She shifts slightly, "By the way what's up with the necklace?"

Alexis squints, "What necklace?"

"Kate is on her hands and knees in the living room looking for a necklace."

Alexis jerks and tucks her legs under her, "Wait it's Beckett's necklace?"

"Yeah, why?"

Alexis pushes her laptop and blankets to the side, "We have to go downstairs and find it." Alexis gets off the bed and walks towards the door.

"Wait," Alexis is already down the hall and Lux is left sitting on the bed alone, "You didn't answer my question," Lux says her words slowly dying.

Alexis runs down the stairs, "Did you guys find it?"

"No," Kate seethes as she stands up off the floor.

Castle straightens, "How did you know it was missing?"

Alexis shrugs, "I've got people."

Kate looks at Castle and they both guess, "Lux."

Lux walks down the stairs slowly, "That really is weird."

Alexis smiles at her, in a 'I Told You So' type of way. Lux looks at Kate and Castle, defeat all over their faces. "Can I go over to Tasha's?"

"Yeah," Kate tiredly exhales, "Be home by… 8:30."

"Yup," Lux lets out. Castle and Kate both plop down on the couch, as Lux quickly grabs her coat and leaves.

Castle looks at Kate, "Who's Tasha?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. A friend from school, I think."

Alexis looks at them in her own displeasure, "No necklace?"

Kate looks at her and runs her fingers through her hair, "We've looked everywhere." Alexis drops down on the couch.

"I'll clean the house tomorrow…" Alexis says after a second of silence.

"You don't have to do that, Alexis," Kate starts.

"Don't worry about it; I was going to do some light cleaning before I went over to Paige's apartment, anyways."

Kate sits up straighter, "Wait you said Paige's birthday is January 19th."

"Yeah… today's the 18th," Alexis says slowly, unsure why it matters.

Castle's curiosity kicks in and he looks at Kate, "How did you remember that?"

Kate's jaw is frozen slightly unhinged. She turns to Castle and closes her mouth gritting her teeth, "I remembered because it's a day after Lux's birthday."

Castle raises his eyebrows and all Alexis can do is let out, "Umm…"

Castle and Kate stare at each other for a second, before he says, "We should go."

"Yeah," Kate says as they all get up. Castle goes straight for the coat rack and grabs both of their coats.

"I'll bake cupcakes," Alexis says quickly.

"Thanks," Kate says right before she and Castle rush out the door.

…

Lux jumps out of the cab, onto the sidewalk. She marches up to Gavin, Natasha, and Bug, who are sitting on a couch placed outside of their apartment building. "Okay, Gavin give it back!"

"Give what back?" Bug questions sitting on the back of the couch.

Gavin looks at her humorously, "What?"

"Seriously I don't have time for this the meter's running, just give me the necklace."

"What? What necklace?" Gavin is slowly getting defensive.

"What's wrong?" Bug asks as he jumps off the couch.

"He freakin' stole it, Kate's necklace with the ring on it."

"Screw you I didn't take your damn necklace," Gavin says lightly pushing Lux out of the way.

"Oh really, because I saw you with it and now it's gone."

Bug approaches her, "He didn't take your necklace."

"Don't defend him. That 401K crap, we all heard it."

Natasha gets off the couch and stands in between Lux and Gavin, "Get over yourself. You come back here with your new Nob Hill, white picket fence life. You think that any of us need your mom's tacky crap?"

Bug grabs Lux's arm and turns her around to face him, "If he said he didn't take it, he didn't take it."

Lux relaxes slightly, "If he didn't than who did?"

"Look you got a shot at a new life. We all get it, but coming up here yelling at us, at Gavin, like we did something wrong-"

Lux interjects, "He did do something wrong. And what if Kate finds out?"

Bug shrugs, "So what, Lux? So she's your mom now and that trumps everything?" Lux's irritation is slowly growing. "Up until yesterday we were family and not because anyone had to force us to take you in. We wanted you, because we wanted you." Lux's smiles apologetically.

Bug walks into the apartment building and her smile dies as she turns around to Natasha and Gavin, "I'm sorry you guys. I don't know what I was thinking." Neither seems to accept the apology. Lux looks at Natasha, "You want to come back to the loft with me?"

Natasha tightens he jaw, "The last person I want to be around right now is you." Natasha throws her bag over her shoulder before walking away with Gavin following her. Lux closes her eyes for a second then turns and walks back to the cab.

…

When Lux gets to the loft's door, she takes a deep breath before turning the doorknob. They keep the door unlocked when Lux is out because they haven't had time to get her a key. She smiles when she sees Kate and Alexis frosting the last two cupcakes and Castle eating one of them. All three of them look up when she comes in the door.

"Surprise," Castle says with a mouthful of cupcake. Kate punches him in the arm and walks over to Lux. "Ow," Castle complains.

Alexis looks at him as she licks frosting off her finger, "You deserved it."

Kate grabs Lux's shoulders, "Lux, I'm sorry I forgot your birthday. Well, I didn't really forget it as much as I forgot what date today is."

Lux's smile widens as she looks around Kate at the cupcakes and presents, "It's amazing. No one ever remembers, or cares to." Lux looks at Kate, whose smile is still a little uneasy, "Seriously Kate it's amazing." They walk over to the island, where Castle and Alexis are.

"We were talking and we thought that this Sunday we could have a big party and invite our friends and family," Alexis says with a smile as Lux grabs one of the cupcakes and shoves it in her mouth

"And you can invite your friends," Castle adds.

"We would have done that tonight, but we don't know who your friends are," Kate finishes.

Lux wipes her face and looks up at the streamers on the ceiling. "That- that sounds great." She looks at them all, "Thank you so much."

Castle looks over at Kate. He can tell she is worried. He subtly wipes frosting on his finger and quickly puts it on her nose. She pulls back and her smile grows showing her teeth, which makes Castle grin because he knows he pulled her out of whatever was going on her head, at least for now. Lux laughs and Alexis tucks in her lips, trying to hide her giggles. "Oh, you think it's funny," Kate smirks at Lux.

Kate wipes some frosting off a cupcake; Lux giggles and pleads, "N-n-no!" Kate smears the frosting down Lux's cheek.

They continue with Castle putting icing on Alexis' cheek, Alexis smearing a cupcake down his shirt, and Lux smashing a cupcake on Kate's head. They eventually die down when they run out of viable cupcakes. They all stand there laughing and Lux looks at all of them, covered in icing and cake. In that moment, she doesn't care what Tasha or Bug think. This can be her family too.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: A Chill Goes Through Her Veins**

Most of Saturday consisted of Castle and Beckett trying to make a list of who to invite. Lux tried to call Tasha and Bug and even Gavin once, but had gotten nowhere. After trying Tasha again, Lux places her phone on the couch cushion next to her, defeated.

Castle is sitting next to her on the couch and Kate is sitting next to him, on the floor, both looking at the list of people to invite. Castle rubs his face, "We can keep it small."

Kate looks at Lux, "Do you have anyone you want to invite, Lux?"

"I tried to get a hold of Tasha, but she hasn't answered."

"Okay, we'll assume she's coming."

Lux glances at her phone and mumbles, "Yeah, I'm not so sure."

Kate gives Lux a pitiful smile, then turns to the list and writes Tasha's name down. She uses her pen to count off the names, "So that's twelve people?"

Silence washes over them, as Castle and Kate just stare at the piece of paper. Lux looks at them confused, "What's wrong?"

"Most of the people we want to invite…" Castle starts and then slowly dies out.

"Don't know I exist in the first place," Lux finishes.

"Yeah," Kate finishes.

"So, that where we start," Lux says in a somewhat condescending tone.

Castle shrugs, "We should start with Lanie. She's going to be the… upsetest."

Lux and Kate turn to him at the same time, trying to suppress smiles. Lux raises her eyebrows out of amusement, "The most upset?"

"The angriest," Kate counters.

"What you said," Castle says trying to get out of the embarrassment.

Lux teases, "Aren't you a writer?"

"That you didn't tell her earlier," Castle finishes his beginning statement, ignoring Lux's comment.

"Actually, I already told her," Kate says shyly.

Castle squints, "When?"

"When I got back from dropping Lux off at Social Services," Kate says looking back down at the list, as Castle raises his eyebrows at her.

Lux leans forward to read a name off the list, "What about Jim?" She looks up from the paper to Kate and Castle. Though she moved forward on the list to distract them, it doesn't seem like it distressed them at all. Castle looks at Beckett's face, which generally resembles a deer in the headlights. "Or not?" Lux questions.

"You didn't tell him she's back?"

Kate looks at him, "Well, no, later."

Lux quickly leans forward to read another name, "Esposito?"

"That we can do," Kate says.

"I'm going to try Tasha again," Lux says pointing to the stairs behind her.

"Okay," Kate says, as she sifts through her contacts.

Lux walks upstairs to her bedroom. When she settles into her bed, she pulls out her phone and calls Tasha one last time, only to reach her voicemail. Lux sighs, "Hey Tash, I know you're angry with me, but I take it back. I know Gavin would never take the necklace. Anyways I hope you come tomorrow… Okay, bye." She hangs up the phone and drops from her sitting position to lying down on the bed.

…

Kate sits in the middle of the bed, scrolling through her contacts, until she gets to her dad's contact. When she presses the contact, the line starts ringing. She can hear Castle, in the kitchen, talking on the phone with Alexis, as she runs her fingers over her collarbone, mindlessly looking for her security blanket that is no longer there. Her dad's voice breaks her out of her comfortable trance, "Hello?"

"Hi dad," Kate says quietly.

"Hi, Katie," He says with pleasure.

"Hey," Kate repeats.

They go silent for a moment before Jim says, "Katie, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, no, yeah of course," She quickly says, realizing she must have sounded upset. "Do you remember my sophomore year of college?"

Jim sighs, "Booze soaked and blurry… sorry."

"No, I meant after that."

She can hear him take another deep breath, "You mean the baby? Yes, of course, I remember."

"She found me."

"She found you?" Kate always loves how smoothly her father speaks, like as though it may be the most shocking thing he heard all day he still wants to keep her worry at bay.

She smiles and attempts to lighten up a little again with more success this time, "Yeah, she came to the precinct trying to get emancipated from foster care and needed my signature and Castle being Castle told the judge that he could cosign her apartment… Anyways she's in my," She cautions slowly, "temporary custody."

"I barely caught any of that, but she's living with you?"

She huffs, laughing a bit, "Yeah."

Silence comes over them again for a short moment before Jim speaks, "How is she?"

"She's…" Kate squints, "good. A little rough around the edges, but good, at least I think she is."

"That's not going to stop."

Kate furrows her eyebrows, "What?"

"You never quite know if they're okay or not. You learn to know when they're happy and when they're sad, but if they're okay it's not so easy to tell."

"Well that…"

"Sucks?"

"Well, yeah."

Jim lightheartedly laughs, "I know." Kate hears him sigh, "I better go, I've got a big case to work on."

"Okay I'll let you go… Oh, Dad!"

"Yes, Katie?"

"We're having a birthday party for Lux tomorrow."

"Lux?"

"Yeah, Lux, that's her name."

"I was wondering where that came from," Castle says, walking into the room. She points her finger up at him indicating that she'll be off the phone in a second.

"Can you come to the party?"  
>"Yes, of course."<p>

"It will start around two."

"I'll be there. Love you, Katie."

"Love you, Dad," She hangs up the phone with a smile.

"So," Castle draws out.

"So," Kate repeats, in the same way Castle did.

"Where did Lux come from?"

"The name I assume," Kate smirks.

Castle glares at her, but can't help but smile, "Yes."

She cocks her head to the side, "I actually don't know. I don't even know how she got my name." She inches off the bed and walks over to the dresser, where she unbuttons her shirt and pulls an oversized shirt over her head.

"When babies are put up for adoption they either get their parents last name or a random, generic last name." Kate sits on the edge of the bed and watches as he explains.

"How did you-"

"Research," they say at the same time.

Beckett rolls her eyes when she says it, then does a double take, "Research for what?" Castle laughs and puts one knee on the bed, wrapping his arm around her ribcage, and pulls her down onto the bed. "Come on," she complains in a laughing protest. Her laugh slowly dying as she stares at the ceiling, "Do you think Lux is okay?"

Castle rolls onto his back so he is also looking up at the ceiling. He sighs, "I don't know."

She looks at him, her eyes wide. Then she turns back to the ceiling. She sucks in her lips, "Me either."

…

Lux dips a baby carrot in the bowl of ranch, in the center of the veggie tray, then pops it in her mouth. Kate points at her, as she places a plate of desserts on the counter, "Those are also for guests, you know?"

Lux counters, "It's my birthday."

"If you eat too many of those you're going to turn orange." At first she worries that she may have made a joke that was too childish for Lux, but then she lets out a short laugh, which wipes away Kate's concern.

Lux points her subtly thumb behind her at the couch, where Alexis, Martha, and Castle are sitting. She leans in and whispers, "I'm not too sure, here, that would be such a problem."

"True," Kate says with a snicker, which is interrupted by a knock on the door. She walks over to the door with a smile, which widens when she opens the door to see Ryan, Jenny, and Sarah Grace, who is sleeping quietly in her car seat. "Hi guys," Kate says, hushing her voice when she sees the baby sound asleep.

"Hey," Ryan says walking in.

"Hi," Jenny says with an exhausted smile.

As more people come Lux stays in her chair at the island. Everyone introduces themselves, either again or for the first time. She keeps one eye on the door, waiting for someone she knows. When she finally gives up, she walks over to the party, which has mostly gathered in the living room. Right before she reaches the crowd, Alexis appears out of it, cradling Sarah Grace in her arms. She goes over to Lux, "Can you take her for a minute? I wanna go get my phone."

"Uh, sure," Lux says uneasily, but Alexis doesn't seem to notice.

She digs in her pocket for a mini hand sanitizer bottle and hands it to Lux, "Here use this." Lux slowly opens the bottle and cleans her hands, then gives the bottle back to Alexis, who pushes it back into her pocket, then slowly passes the baby to Lux. When the baby is safely in Lux's arms, Alexis runs up the stairs, leaving Lux to watch her go.

Castle notices Alexis dash up the stairs out of the corner of his eye, when he turns to get a better look he spots a flustered Lux, so he quickly excuses himself from his conversation with Espo and Ryan and walks over to Lux with a smile, "You want me to take her?"

Sarah Grace leans against Lux's chest. Lux laughs nervously, "No, she's fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, plus Alexis has the hand sanitizer," Lux adds, just as Alexis comes rushing down the stairs, cell phone in hand. She walks slowly, because she's fiddling with her phone. When Alexis reaches them, she holds up her phone, "Can I take a picture."

"Of me or the baby?"

"Both," Alexis laughs.

"Sure," Lux says. She readjusts the baby, so she is facing Alexis a little more, and smiles.

Right after the phone makes a snapping noise, Alexis comments, "Cute."

Castle looks over Alexis' shoulder to see the picture, "Can I take a picture of the three of you?"

"Sure," Alexis and Lux shrug. Alexis hands her cell phone to her dad.

Kate looks over from the conversation she is having with Jenny and stops her story in its tracks, "Hang on, I want that picture too," she says walking towards them and pulling out her phone. She doesn't break stride when someone knocks on the door and she has to change where she's going. She hands her phone to Castle without missing a beat and goes to open the front door.

"Hi dad," Kate says when she opens the door. Then she looks over at the dark haired teenager next to him, "You must be Tasha."

Castle just finishes taking the picture of the girls, on Kate's phone, when Lux hears Tasha's name. When she sees Tasha come in the door she hastily hands the baby back to Alexis and runs over to Tasha. When she hugs her, Tasha only lightly embraces her by putting her hands on Lux's shoulders. "Tasha, you came," Lux says happily, ignoring Tasha's lack of excitement.

"I wanted to meet this new family of yours," Tasha says with a deceiving smile.

Lux leads Tasha to the living room with Kate and Jim following them a couple feet away. "Well that's Alexis, Sarah Grace, Castle, Martha, Lanie, Jenny, Ryan, and Esposito," she says pointing each person out. "Oh and that's," Lux turns Tasha back around, "Kate," she finishes.

Kate extends her hand out to Tasha, "Hi."

"Hey," Tasha says with an unenthusiastic smile as she shakes Kate's hand. Tasha points to Jim and turns to Lux, "Who's my hallway buddy?"

"I'm Jim, Kate's father."

"Hi, I'm Lux," Lux says shaking hands with him, "Nice to meet you."

"Tasha," Tasha greets shaking hands with him, after Lux.

…

Lanie, Espo, Jenny, Ryan, and the baby left an hour ago. Martha, Jim, Castle, Kate, and Alexis are sitting on the couch, conversing, while Lux and Tasha sit alone at the island.

"So you're staying?"

"Yeah," Lux says, defeated by her friend's lack of enthusiasm.

"I thought about it and I don't really blame you. I would do exactly what you did. If my mom took me in and people threw birthday parties for me and all of this," Tasha looks over her shoulder at everyone else sitting on the couch, "I'd do it." She turns back and starts twisting the tab of her soda can.

"Tasha, you're still my family. You, Bug, even Gavin," Tasha laughs with a huff, but Lux continues, "Will always be my family."

After a beat, Tasha's eyes shift, "I should go home, I've got to move back to Sunnyvale tomorrow," Tasha says as she slides out of her seat.

"Again, I'm sorry about that."

"It's not your fault," Tasha says, exhausted.

Lux slides out of her chair and then suddenly perks up, "Oh, I almost forgot. I have something for you." Tasha reluctantly climbs back into the chair, as Lux runs up the stairs.

Kate looks over the back of the couch when she hears Lux run up the stairs, and turns looking over her other shoulder and sees Tasha sitting alone. "I'll be right back," Kate says quietly trying not to interrupt her father's story. She gets up to walk over to Tasha, lightly running her hand over the back of Castle's neck. She walks over to the countertop slowly, but when she gets there she still can't figure out what to say.

"Lux went upstairs to go get something for me before I go," Tasha says quietly.

"Are you sure you don't want to spend the night?" Kate asks, hoping to keep the only thing Lux has seemed to fully enjoy, since she's been there, around longer.

Tasha rubs the soda tab between her fingers, "I've got a one way ticket back to a girls' home. We don't all have moms that appear out of nowhere and save us, you know?"

Kate presses her lips together and sits in the chair Lux was previously sitting in, "Can I ask you something?" The tab freezes in Tasha's hand and she glares at Kate. She may be angry with her, but she's listening. "Do you think she's better off? Holding out for someone else?"

"Lux and I, we've been friends since we were little. Since we were seven, we met at Sunnyvale, before I was placed. We used to get in trouble, well I used to get in trouble… for everything, from getting sick to crying. They'd punish me by making me drink Tabasco sauce. And Lux she collected change, from underneath the couch, and after like a month she saved enough to replace the Tabasco," Tasha laughs, "with V8." Kate gives a short smile. "It was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me, to this day." Tasha takes a deep breath and refocuses on the soda tab. She spins it around, on the countertop, with her finger. "We were going to get emancipated and move in together. That was the plan." Tasha goes silent, then looks up and sees Kate watching her intently. "I really should go."

Tasha slides off her chair and puts one arm through her jacket's sleeve. She slowly puts her arm through the second sleeve and meets Kate's stare. "Uh…" She lets out, quickly pushing the rest of her arm through her sleeve. She reaches into her coat pocket, "Your necklace…" She pulls the necklace out of her pocket and holds it out for Kate to take it from her hand. Kate looks at her with confusion and holds out her hand, so Tasha pours it into her hand. "I was here the other day and I took it. I'm really sorry."

Kate looks at the ring now cupped in her hand on her lap. When Tasha finishes she looks up at her, "I'm sorry too. I took your family, that's much worse."

"Got it," Lux interrupts as she runs down the stairs. Kate quickly fastens the necklace around her neck.

Lux walks over to them and quickly glances at Kate, "Where'd you find your necklace?"

"Tasha found it. It was on the countertop, right in plain sight."

Lux hands a book to Tasha, who turns the book over in her hands, "Storm Fall," Tasha beams.

"Do you read the series?" Kate asks

"It's the only books I'm pretty sure Tasha has ever read."

"Hey," Tasha playfully counters at Lux, then turns and smiles at Kate, "Yes, me and Lux read them together, but Sunnyvale never got the last one." She turns back to Lux, "Thanks, but I've really got to go." Lux smiles with understanding and gives her a hug.

When Lux finally lets go, Alexis beckons, "Lux, come here you have to hear this story."

Kate smiles and gets out of her chair. "Do you mind?" Lux asks Tasha gesturing towards the couch.

"No, you go," Tasha says with a smile. Lux practically skips to the couch and Kate thinks about how happy she actually seems just from this short visit with Tasha.

"I'll walk you out," Kate says with a smile. They both look at their feet as they walk the few steps to the front door.

Kate opens the door, but right before Tasha leaves, Kate looks up at her because she turned back to face her. "For the record, the answer is no, okay? Lux she's been with a lot of really crappy people. People way worse than this," Tasha laughs gesturing at the loft's entirety. "And even if there was some great person out there that really wanted her, you still have one thing they don't." She smiles a huge smile at Kate, "You're her mom. To people like us that's…" Tasha shrugs, "Everything." She slowly turns back around and walks away.

Kate slowly shuts the door behind her. She takes a breath and before turning back to her family in the living room. After a moment, she crosses the hardwood floor and sits on the edge of the couch.

Lux, who is sitting in between Castle and Alexis', is listening closely to every word Castle is saying. Lux questions, "Who was behind the wall?"

Castle raises his eyebrows and says in a matter of fact kind of tone, "A tiger."

"Oh, come on," Lux says turning to Kate, waiting for the punch line.

"Really," Kate reassures, smiling at the shock on her face.

Lux's eyes grow wide with amusement, as she turns back to Castle to hear the rest of the story.

While she listens to the story, Kate subtly rubs her necklace's chain against her neck, Lux seems okay. God she hopes she's okay.


End file.
